The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Davidson sets St Johnstone double target after winning top award
Manager of the month Callum Davidson is striving to make sure 2021 has even more accolades and achievements for St Johnstone left in it.
The Saints boss, who picked up the Premiership award for March on the back of the two wins and a draw that secured top six football, has set his players two big end-of-season targets.
The first is getting back to Hampden in the Scottish Cup after their recent Betfred Cup heroics and the second is snatching a spot in the Europa Conference League next term.
“If you had asked me back in October or November, I wouldn’t think we would be sitting here talking about manager of the month, a League Cup and a top six,” said Davidson, a trophy winner in his rookie season as a manager.
“I would have probably said ‘not a chance’ but all credit to those who I work with.
“The coaching staff and the players have obviously been really important. The people above have helped me out as well.
“I want it to continue, so that is now the next focus.”
He added: “What would top it off for me would be if we get into Europe. That is the aim.
“Can we finish fifth, put pressure on Livingston, go as far as we can in the Scottish Cup and have another occasion out at Hampden?
“That is what I’m saying to the players and what I want from them.
“The players are fully focused on doing their jobs and trying to be the best they can. We have a number of games left where hopefully we can go and be successful again.
“If you watched training the last few days you would understand they are all desperate to play. They are fighting to play.
“That is fantastic for me at this stage of the season. They’ve had a great season. Hopefully it can get even better.”
As is customary when individual recognition comes a manager’s way, Davidson was keen to share the spotlight with his onpitch and off-pitch teams.
“I have to thank the players as they are the ones who got me manager of the month,” he said.
“Over the last month and a half, it shows how well they have played.
“Alec Cleland and Steven MacLean have worked extremely hard. It has been brilliant. I knew Paul Mathers already, as well, and I trusted him.
“I am here getting the award but they work extremely hard behind the scenes on Sundays and days off watching videos and analysing games.
“They are really enthusiastic and they work very well together.”
Of the three matches that led to the award and, more importantly, beating St Mirren to the last top six place, one stands out for Davidson.
“It has to be Hibs,” he said.
“The boys were dead on their feet after the League Cup final.
“We then had Hamilton midweek and I thought we played well.
“To win against Hibs I thought the players gave me absolutely everything and they hung on.
“That was probably the result that got us in the top six. It was a really spirited, battling performance.”
The upturn in form goes a lot further back than March, however, even though it took a while for results to show it.
“From the Aberdeen game on December 26 the boys have been brilliant,” said Davidson.
“I thought they actually played really well that game (it was a 2-1 defeat).
“Rangers and Celtic have only beaten us by one goal. We have won the majority of games and drawn a few too.
“It has been an incredible two and a half to three months for the players and myself.
“It is nice to have a team talk when we don’t lose. Hopefully that continues for the rest of the season.” Saints have undeniably enjoyed the sort of season that will be looked back on as among the very best in the club’s history. But there is always room for improvement.
“For me it is trying to play a brand of football that is exciting,” said Davidson.
“I want us to get a wee bit better at that. The biggest thing to do that will be hold on to one or two of my players this summer.
“That is the key factor to determine how well we will do next season.
“The majority of games we have played really well. Probably only Hibs, outside the Old Firm, have outplayed us.
“Apart from that, we have played pretty well against most teams.
“I think we need to get better at doing the basics well, which we have done in the last 16 games. That has to continue.”